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Sugar Cookie Icing and Cut Out Cookie Recipe — Fresh homemade recipe photo

Sugar Cookie Icing and Cut Out Cookie Recipe

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I spent years trying to make sugar cookies with a decent icing, only to discover the problem was always on top. The cookies themselves were fine — I'd use whatever recipe my mother sent me that one year — but every time I tried to decorate them, the icing would either crack or soak through and leave ugly brown spots where the colors bled together.
The solution turned out embarrassingly simple: a thin layer of buttercream under any colored icing acts as a seal. You pipe your design on top of it while still wet, let everything set for an hour or two, then add whatever details you want in royal icing. The cookies come out clean even when cut into shapes with sharp edges.
I keep this recipe pinned because it works every time and doesn't require special equipment. You can use any cookie base — shortbread, gingerbread, anything that holds its shape — but I find a basic sugar cookie dough gives the most reliable results for decorated cookies. The real trick is rolling them thin enough to bake quickly without losing detail from the cutters.
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Prep Time 2 hours 20 minutes
Cook Time 9 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 40 servings
Course: cookies
Cuisine: American
Calories: 285
Ingredients Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Sugar Cookies:
  • 1 cup 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
For the Buttercream Icing:
  • 1 cup 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
  • 4 cups powdered sugar sifted
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream or milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Pinch salt
Optional Royal Icing for Details:
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons meringue powder or use 3 egg whites
  • Water to achieve desired consistency

Method
 

  1. Make the cookie dough: Beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg and vanilla; mix well. In a separate bowl, whisk flour, salt, and baking powder. Gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Mix on low speed just until combined — do not overmix.
  2. Chill the dough: Divide dough in half, flatten into disks, wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (or up to 3 days). Dough that's too warm will spread too much in the oven.
  3. Roll out the dough: On a lightly floured surface, roll one disk of dough to about 1/8-inch thickness. Use cookie cutters to cut shapes, placing them close together to minimize re-rolling (which can toughen the cookies). Transfer to ungreased baking sheets using a spatula.
  4. Bake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake cookies for 7-9 minutes until edges are just beginning to turn golden but centers still look slightly puffy. Cookies will set as they cool — do not overbake or they'll become hard instead of tender. Cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.
  5. Make buttercream icing: Beat butter until smooth (about 2 minutes). Add powdered sugar gradually, alternating with cream and vanilla. Beat on medium-high for 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy. Add extra cream if too thick; add more sugar if too thin.
  6. Ice the cookies: Spread a thin, even layer of buttercream over cooled cookies using an offset spatula or palette knife. The icing should be smooth enough to see your finger's reflection in it — that means it's ready for colored icing on top. Let set at room temperature for 1-2 hours until firm but not rock hard.
  7. Add details: For simple decorations, use a squeeze bottle filled with royal icing to pipe lines or dots. For more complex designs, fill a pastry bag and work quickly before the icing sets. The buttercream layer underneath will keep colors from bleeding into each other.

Nutrition

Calories: 285kcalCarbohydrates: 36gProtein: 2gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 38mgSodium: 78mgPotassium: 32mgSugar: 26gVitamin A: 8IUCalcium: 12mg

Notes

Storage tips: Store decorated cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days (buttercream icing can last longer, but the cookies themselves soften after that). For longer storage, freeze undecorated baked cookies wrapped tightly in plastic — they'll keep for about 2 months. Decorated cookies can be frozen too; just let them come to room temperature before unwrapping to prevent condensation from making the icing tacky.

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